Artbank Social Club is a free for all when it comes to viewing over 5,000 artworks on site in Sydney; supplied
Artbank is good at breaking the mould.
As one of the largest collections of Australian art in the world, it has consistently punched beyond its core activity. It not only leases artworks to anyone interested in living with art, but has opened a gallery to tell their stories, started the magazine Sturgeon, and now an Artist Flea Market.
As part of the Artbank Social Club – a kind of open day with a difference – visitors can paw through racks containing more than 5,000 artworks in the Artbank leasing collection, chat with artists and buy artwork while eating, drinking and listening to vintage vinyl that can be purchased from the Rolling Records truck shop.
Director of Artbank Tony Stephens sees the Artbank Social Club as a way of making the art world more democratic.
‘Something like this hasn’t happened in Australia before,’ said Stephens. ‘We are not entirely sure what to expect – the surprise is part of the fun.’
Vintage vinyl is a perfect match to looking at art and talking to artists at this years Artbank Social Club and Artist Flea Market; supplied
Stephens continued: ‘No matter how much or how little you may know about contemporary art, come down and visit what I am sure will be a day like many haven’t experienced before.
‘It is about engaging with artists in a very different way than we are perhaps used to.’
‘It’s not like a trash and treasure. In some ways it’s a slight bent on the open studio concept, but we wanted to break that mould and encourage people who don’t usually go to galleries or exhibition openings to come and join in the fun.’
This year’s Artbank Social Club and Artist Flea Market will take place on Saturday, 19 November from 10am-4pm.
Part open day part garden party, Artbank’s Social Club and Artist Flea Market is about chilling out with art; supplied
Tacos, turf and vinyl
To set up the day, Artbank will turn their carpark into a garden inspired kitsch wonderland, setting up a pop-up bar and bringing in Mexican street food truck Cantina Movil. There will be performance art, vintage records spinning and an opportunity to be part of a vibe that is a long way from a chardonnay-sipping gallery opening.
The Artist Flea Market will see over 30 Australian artists transform Artbank’s Sydney headquarters and its surrounding public spaces.
‘The Artbank Social Club is a social club, it is not just about viewing a Collection, it is about engaging with people… The social club is about breaking down barriers, which in visual arts we often struggle with. We want people to feel they can be part of a day celebrating creative life in Australia,’ said Stephens.
‘I think the way organisations and institutions communicate with audiences has really changed. We can’t tell people how to think, but we can give them an opportunity to engage.
‘Last year we tried a small market – this year we are handing over the entire gallery and public spaces to the artists – it is up to them to decide on what kind of representation they want to have for themselves.’
Stephens said Artbank had the opportunity to provide activities that public institutions could not.
‘I see Artbank as the hub of a wheel. We can do things that other institutions can’t, but in that we can support the broader arts and culture sector in Australia.
‘There is a real opportunity today to rethink what institutions can be – they can be a meeting place, a social place, a space where people populate for multiple reasons. And at Artbank we are interested in that layered approach.’
Four emerging Australian curators selected the artists for the Artbank Flea Market. Stephens said it was important to have a spread of curatorial voices, to bring their own curatorial interests, considering an artist’s representation, cultural background and generally what is going on in Australia now.
Performance at last years’ Artbank Social Club, will again return this November to keep the day full of surprises; supplied
‘Some will be selling things, some will perform, others will show their work. A lot of these are young artists are starting out in their careers, and not in the Artbank Collection. It is a way to support artists prior to collecting their work,’ said Stephens.
‘At Artbank we feel it is important to support artists beyond the collection and our leasing activities, and we see this as an opportunity for them to promote their practice.’
The Artist Flea Market will include Amala Groom & Nicole Monks (SYD), Okyeahcoolgreat (Anna McMahon & Kate Beckingham) (SYD), Big Ego Books (Emily Hunt & Raquel Caballero) (SYD), Keg de Souza (SYD), Shivanjani Lal (SYD), Lisa Hilli (MELB), James Tylor (ADEL), Claudia Nicholson (SYD), James Nguyen (SYD), Caroline Garcia (SYD), Emily Parsons-Lord (SYD), Make or Break (Connie Anthes & Rebecca Gallo) (SYD), Angela Goh (SYD), Brad Harkin (ADEL), Steaphan Paton (MELB), Steven Rhall (MELB), Chantal Fraser (BRIS), Jake Preval (MELB), Angela Tiatia (NSW), Megan Cope (MELB) and is being curated by Léuli Eshraghi (VIC), Anna May Kirk (NSW), Kimberley Moulton (VIC) and Miriam Kelly (NSW)
This year’s Artbank Social Club and Artist Flea Market will take place on Saturday, 19 November from 10am-4pm.
Artbank is located at 222 Young Street, Waterloo in Sydney. This is a free event.
